Adjustable trowel.



R W. LINVILLE.

ADJUSTABLE TROWEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16, 1909.

Patented June 14, 1910.

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- ANDREW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

ROBERT W. LINVILLE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF FORTY-NINEONE-HUNDREDTHS TO JOHN F. SNYDER, OF RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA.

ADJUSTABLE TROWEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1909.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT WV. LINVILLE, citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in AdjustableTrowels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to adjustable trowels such as used by plasterersand brick-masons.

There are many objections to a trowel having a fixed handle. Aplasterers trowel usually has the handle fixed in the middle, and withsuch a trowel it is diificult to work in behind pipes, or into thecorners of restricted spaces. Furthermore, such a trowel is often poorlybalanced when made at the factory, and the user of the trowel has to cutoff more or less one end or other of the trowel, until it has the rightbalance, or otherwise fits his hand. Furthermore, where trowels withfixed handles are used, it requires several trowels to do differentkinds of work.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, practicalblade and adjustable handle which can be adapted for all sorts of usesand for work under various conditions, and by means of which handle, andparticular form of blade construction, the same handle will serve for anumber of blades.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combinationof parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, havingreference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of a trowel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same partially in section. Fig. 3 is a cross sectionalview on the line XX of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a cross sectional view on theline Y-Y of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an end view of the device showing a partof the blade and the beveled sides 7 in section. Fig. 6 is a bottom viewof the locking key. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the looking key.

A represents a flat sheet-metal blade of suitable dimensions. Theseblades usually run from ten inches to twelve inches in length, accordingto the requirements of the user. I purpose to have a series of theseblades in a set, all for use with the same handle 2.

The back of the blade has a lengthwise-extending, central, dovetailedflange 3 constructed as a permanent and substantial part of the blade.The handle 2 has a vertical stem 4 which is provided with a dovetailedslot 5 corresponding with the cross-section of the flange 3 and adaptedto receive the flange, the handle and stem 4: being slidable along theflange and adapted to be set and locked thereto at any suitable point.The outside edges of the walls of the slot 5 are oppositely beveled,'asshown at 6, and adapted to be engaged by the correspondingly beveledsides 7 of the locking-key 8. This locking-key 8 has alengthwise-extending channel on its under side, the portion 9 of thechannel having vertical sides of a width approximately equal to thegreatest width of the dovetailed flange 3, while the forward portion 10of the channel is dovetailed, and the front end of the key curvedupward, so that the key can be engaged in the portion 10 endwise of theflange 3, and pivoted at any point along the length of the flange whenthe opposite forked end is not engaged with the stem 4:.

In operation, the key 8 is slipped on to the flange 3; but the shape ofthe dovetailed part 10 of the slot is such that in order to engage thekey with the flange 3, the key will stand at a slight incline withrelation to the plane of the blade A, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2.The key in this position is slipped along the blade until the fork 11 ofthe key is at a point where it is desired to attach the handle. Thehandle is then engaged by means of the dovetailed slot 5 with the flange3 and slipped along the latter, and the key is pressed down until itstands parallel with and lies upon the flange 3, whereuponfithe doublebeveled Wedge members 6 of the stem 4: are driven forward into the saces provided between the beveled sides of the key and the flange 3. Inpressing down the key upon the blade, it causes the beveled walls of theslot portion 10 to bind against the under sloping walls of the flange 3,which, coupled with the friction bearing of the entire length of the keyon top of the flange, locks the key fixedly in position, so that neitherit nor the handle will move, and a firm brace and support is offered forthe handle. Thus it is seen that by means of my attachment and speciallocking arrangement, I can adjust the handle so that it may be set atany desired point along the length of the trowel, and by providing anumber of blades A of different sizes with flanges 8, the same handlewill fit all these blades; and a complete kit will occupy scarcely moreroom than one ordinary trowel with a fixed handle now occupies.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is l. The combination of a tool having a dove-tailedflange, a handle having a stem with a dovetailed slot to receive saidflange, said stem having beveled outer walls, and a key slidably mountedon the flange and normally inclined relatively thereto, said key havingbeveled walls adapted to be forced downwardly into locking engagementwith the corresponding walls of said stem.

2. The combination with a'trowel blade and a handle therefor, of meansfor adjustably securing the handle to the blade at different points inthe length thereof, said means including a dovetailed flange on theblade, and a sliding key engaging with said flange, said key havingmeans whereby it may be tilted relative to the flange and a handlehaving means thereon engaging said key and locking it to said flange.

3. The combination with a trowel blade and a handle therefor, of meansfor adjustably securing the handle to the blade at differentpoints inthe length thereof, said means including a dovetailed flange on theblade, and a sliding key engaging with said flange, said key having acombined sliding and pivotal movement on said flange.

4. The combination with a trowel blade and a handle therefor, of meansfor adjustably securing the handle to the blade at diflerent points inthe length thereof, said means including a dovetailed flange on theblade, and a sliding key engaging with said flange, said key having acombined sliding and pivotal movement on said flange, and said key alsohaving a forked end engageable wedge-fashion with the handle portion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscrlbmg witnesses.

ROBERT WV. LINVILLE.

lVitnesses CHARLES A. PENFIELD, CHARLES EDELMAN.

